Becoming Older

My friend, Michelle, recently wrote a blog about becoming older (which you can read about here).

Sadly, I totally agree. We have truly entered the stage of being middle aged with kids, real jobs, real bills and real life. As if I didn't feel old enough being out of college and in my first real job. But to realize that I worked at that job for seven years...I mean, I have friends now who are real doctors practicing medicine and lawyers prosecuting criminals and brokers managing real people's actual money. Seems like just yesterday they were young, single and partying like crazy. Now we're married, have kids, have real jobs which affect people's lives - and I guess a lot older.

My husband and I talk about that sometimes when we go to restaurants. We wonder how the little high school or college aged hostess or waiter mentally categorizes us. For a long time (probably too long) we just assumed they associated us with college students - or maybe those who just graduated. But now, they probably just lump us in with people their parent's age. Their parent's age! Or there was the time that we were visiting with some college freshman, and it turned out some of them went to the same high school that my husband graduated from. They asked what year he graduated, and they responded to his answer with "Whoa!" and eyes opened wide. Man, you would've thought he'd said he graduated in the 1600's.

I can't believe we're actually at that place. Looking around our Christmas party the other day, I realized that almost everyone had kids - some had more than one, or a second on the way. Used to be that it was couples and their dogs.

It's not that I would trade this stage for anything; I love where we are. It's just a little scary to realize that now we are a part of the "grown ups". I guess time really does fly when you're having fun.